Description

The Blazer 23 is a Canadian trailer-able sailboat that was designed by Bruce Kirby as racer-cruiser and first built in 1988.

The Blazer 23 is a cruising development of the Sonar, using the same hull design, but with a larger cabin with ports and a commensurately smaller cockpit, but slightly more sail area. It is very similar to the Kirby 23.

Production

The design was built by Ontario Yachts in Canada, starting in 1988, but it is now out of production.

Design

The Blazer 23 is a recreational keel boat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim. It has a fractional sloop rig, a raked stem, a slightly reverse transom, a skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel. It displaces 2,200 lb (998 kg) and carries 900 lb (408 kg) of lead ballast.

The boat has a draft of 3.75 ft (1.14 m) with the standard keel.

The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering.

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settees in the main cabin. The galley is located on both sides, just aft of the bow cabin. The galley is equipped with a two-burner stove on the starboard side and a sink on the port side. The head is located under the bow cabin "V"-berth. Cabin headroom is 42 in.

Safety

For safety the design is equipped with foam flotation.

Racing

The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 180 and a hull speed of 5.8 kn